Explore Indian Flavors at Old Durbar in Melbourne

Economic Insider Staff on February 3, 2026

If you’re exploring Indian food in Melbourne, these are the dishes most recommended by locals. From creamy curries to slow-cooked meats, fragrant rice dishes, and freshly baked breads, these favourites have become part of Melbourne’s everyday food culture.

Butter Chicken
Chicken Tikka Masala
Lamb Rogan Josh
Goat Curry
Chicken Biryani
Lamb Biryani
Palak Paneer
Dal Tadka
Masala Dosa
Chole Bhature
Samosas
Garlic Naan & Plain Naan

If you are exploring Indian food and want a great experience close to home, you could start with an Indian restaurant in Brunswick. Brunswick is known for places locals often recommend for authentic curries, tandoori plates, and freshly made breads.

Whether you’re new to Indian cuisine or a seasoned fan, this guide highlights popular Indian dishes favored by locals across Melbourne.

Indian Food in Melbourne

Butter Chicken – A Beloved Dish in Melbourne

Butter chicken is a widely enjoyed Indian dish in Melbourne, and for good reason. It is rich, creamy, mildly spiced, and easy to enjoy even if you are not used to spicy food.

The dish features marinated chicken cooked in a tomato-based sauce with butter, cream, and aromatic spices. The sauce is smooth and slightly sweet, with just enough spice to keep it interesting.

Many locals order butter chicken with:

Garlic naan
Plain naan
Steamed basmati rice

It is often the first Indian dish people try, and for many Melbourne diners, it becomes a regular comfort meal.

Chicken Tikka Masala – Bold and Flavourful

Chicken tikka masala is another commonly enjoyed dish in Melbourne. While its exact origins are debated, its popularity is not.

The chicken is marinated in yoghurt and spices, grilled or roasted, then added to a thick tomato-and-spice sauce. Compared to butter chicken, this dish typically has a deeper flavour and slightly more spice.

Locals love chicken tikka masala because:

The chicken stays juicy and smoky
The sauce is rich without being too heavy
It pairs well with both naan and rice

It is a great choice if you want something flavourful but not overwhelming.

Lamb Rogan Josh – Slow-Cooked Comfort

Lamb Rogan Josh is a dish that Melbourne locals often order when they want something hearty and warming.

This dish comes from northern India and is known for its deep red colour and slow-cooked flavour. The lamb is cooked gently in a sauce seasoned with spices such as cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon.

Good Rogan Josh should have:

Tender lamb that breaks apart easily
A thick sauce with balanced spices
A rich aroma without being spicy-hot

It is especially popular during cooler months and is often paired with plain rice or roti.

Goat Curry – A Local Favourite for Traditional Flavour

Goat curry is a dish many Indian food lovers in Melbourne swear by. It is more traditional and less commonly found outside Indian restaurants, but locals who know Indian food often choose it.

Goat meat has a stronger flavour than lamb or chicken and works well with slow cooking and bold spices. The curry is usually thicker and less creamy, with a stronger emphasis on spices and natural meat flavour.

This dish is loved because:

It feels authentic and home-style
The meat becomes very tender when cooked properly
The spices are deep and warming

It is not usually mild, so it suits people who enjoy stronger flavours.

Palak Paneer – A Vegetarian Classic

Indian food in Melbourne is not just about meat. Vegetarian dishes are just as popular, especially palak paneer.

Palak paneer is made with soft cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cooked in a smooth spinach-based sauce. It is nutritious, comforting, and full of flavour without being heavy.

Locals enjoy this dish because:

It is creamy without using too much cream
The spinach gives it a fresh taste
Paneer absorbs the spices beautifully

It is a great option for vegetarians or anyone wanting a lighter curry.

Dal Tadka – Simple, Comforting, and Loved

Dal tadka is one of the most comforting Indian dishes you can find in Melbourne. It is made using lentils cooked until soft, then topped with a spiced oil mixture containing garlic, cumin, and sometimes chilli.

While it looks simple, good dal tadka has layers of flavour and is very satisfying.

Why locals love it:

It feels like home-style cooking
It is filling without being heavy
It pairs perfectly with rice or roti

Many people order dal alongside other dishes to balance the meal.

Biryani – A Complete Meal in One Dish

Biryani is more than just rice. It is a full meal layered with marinated meat or vegetables, fragrant basmati rice, herbs, and spices.

In Melbourne, chicken biryani and lamb biryani are especially popular. The rice is cooked so each grain stays separate, and the flavours build slowly with every bite.

A good biryani should have:

Aromatic rice
Well-seasoned meat or vegetables
A balance of spices without being greasy

Many locals enjoy biryani on its own or with a side of raita.

Masala Dosa – South Indian Favourite

Masala dosa is a South Indian dish that has gained a strong following in Melbourne. It is a thin, crispy rice-and-lentil crepe filled with spiced potato.

It is usually served with:

Coconut chutney
Tomato chutney
Sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew)

Locals love masala dosa because it is:

Crispy and light
Full of flavour
Naturally gluten-free

It is a popular choice for lunch or a lighter dinner.

Chole Bhature – Bold and Filling

Chole bhature is a North Indian dish that many Melbourne locals enjoy when they want something indulgent.

It consists of:

Chole: spicy chickpea curry
Bhature: deep-fried, fluffy bread

This dish is rich, filling, and spicy. It is often shared or ordered as a treat rather than an everyday meal.

Samosas – A Go-To Snack in Melbourne

No list of Indian food would be complete without samosas. These deep-fried pastries filled with spiced potatoes, peas, or meat are extremely popular in Melbourne.

Locals love samosas because:

They are crispy on the outside
Soft and flavourful inside
Perfect as a snack or starter

They are often enjoyed with mint or tamarind chutney.

Why Melbourne Locals Love Indian Food

Indian food has become part of Melbourne’s everyday dining culture. It suits group dining, takeaway nights, family meals, and celebrations.

Some reasons locals keep coming back:

Big portions that are easy to share
Strong flavours that feel comforting
Plenty of vegetarian and vegan options
Good value for money

Indian food also travels well, making it a popular takeaway choice across the city.

Final Thoughts

Melbourne’s love for Indian food is easy to understand. The variety, flavour, and warmth of Indian cooking complement the city’s diverse food culture.

Whether you prefer creamy curries, spicy dishes, vegetarian classics, or street-style snacks, there is something in Indian cuisine for everyone. These must-try dishes are not just popular because of tradition; they are loved because they taste good, feel satisfying, and bring people together around the table.

If you are exploring Indian food in Melbourne, start with these dishes, take your time, and enjoy the experience one flavour at a time.

Private Credit and the Future of Real Asset Finance

Economic Insider Staff on February 3, 2026

As traditional banks continue to tighten lending standards, private credit has emerged as a central force in real asset finance. Regulatory pressure, capital reserve requirements, and post-cycle risk aversion have reduced banks’ willingness to underwrite construction and transitional assets at scale. Into that gap, private capital has moved deliberately. Tim Penso has positioned his platform directly within this structural shift, recognizing not only the opportunity it presents but the control it offers over risk, leverage, and long-term outcomes.

Penso’s perspective on private credit was shaped through years of operating real estate assets across multiple market environments. Ownership, while attractive for its appreciation potential and tax advantages, introduces concentrated exposure to market cycles, interest rate shifts, and execution risk. Leverage amplifies those dynamics. When markets rise, leverage accelerates returns. When conditions deteriorate, the same leverage magnifies downside.

Through repeated exposure to these realities, Penso identified a recurring pattern. The most stable position in the capital structure is often not equity, but debt. Lending has a fundamentally different risk profile, defined by contractual returns, collateral coverage, and payment priority. Rather than relying on appreciation or operational performance, lenders are compensated for providing capital under predefined terms.

By focusing on private lending for large construction and development projects, Penso positions capital at the top of the capital stack. Investments are structured with conservative loan-to-value ratios, defined covenants, and tangible collateral. Underwriting prioritizes downside protection, with upside treated as secondary. This approach reflects a deliberate preference for capital preservation over chasing speculative returns.

In this model, predictability is valued over volatility. Returns are designed to be repeatable rather than exceptional. Capital is deployed with the expectation that cycles will turn and that markets will periodically test assumptions. By structuring investments to withstand stress scenarios, the platform prioritizes survival through downturns rather than peak performance during expansions.

Insurance-generated liquidity plays a foundational role in enabling this strategy. Cash flow produced through insurance operations provides flexible, deployable capital that is not dependent on external financing conditions. This liquidity can be selectively allocated to private credit opportunities, keeping capital productive without sacrificing control.

The integration of insurance and private credit creates optionality. Capital can be deployed, paused, or reallocated as conditions change. Unlike traditional real estate equity investments, which often lock capital for extended periods, private credit offers defined durations and predictable exit timelines. This flexibility allows Penso to manage liquidity proactively rather than reactively.

The result is not a collection of isolated investments, but a form of capital architecture. Insurance stabilizes cash flow and provides liquidity. Private credit generates income and contractual returns. Real estate, when engaged, compounds value over longer horizons. Each component serves a distinct purpose while reinforcing the others.

This integrated approach mirrors broader institutional trends. Pension funds, endowments, and large asset managers have long relied on private credit as a core allocation because of its defensive characteristics and its ability to generate yield independent of public-market volatility. As access to these strategies expands, disciplined private operators are increasingly able to replicate institutional frameworks on a smaller scale.

Penso’s platform operates at that intersection. The emphasis is not on deal volume, but on underwriting discipline, capital preservation, and cycle awareness. Opportunities are evaluated through rigorous downside analysis rather than projected upside alone. Structure matters more than narrative. Collateral matters more than momentum.

Rather than chasing deals in competitive environments, Penso focuses on building infrastructure capable of deploying capital consistently across cycles. The objective is not to maximize deployment speed, but to ensure that capital is placed only when risk is properly compensated. Consistency in this context is a strategic advantage.

Monitoring and oversight remain continuous. Investments are reviewed against benchmarks, covenants, and performance metrics. Risk is not assumed to be static. As conditions change, capital positions are evaluated to ensure alignment with original underwriting assumptions.

As market volatility persists and traditional lenders remain constrained, private credit is likely to continue playing an expanded role in real asset finance. Capital providers who understand leverage, structure, and cycle dynamics will be best positioned to navigate this environment.

Penso’s positioning reflects a fundamental belief that long-term outcomes are determined less by exposure to leverage and more by control of it. By operating higher in the capital stack and emphasizing structure over speculation, private credit becomes not just a source of return, but a tool for resilience.

In a landscape defined by uncertainty, control remains the most valuable asset.